Diary Entry - 09/10/1983
Key Facts
President Reagan meets with Secretary of State George Shultz.
President Reagan attends a National Security Council meeting to discuss the Lebanese Civil War.
The government of Peru lifts its state of emergency in most parts of the country.
Met with George S. 10:30 A.M. Nancy had left for Phoenix—back Sun. Nite. George reported in full on meeting with Gromyko. No doubt Gromyko was on the defensive & “discombobulated.” I think it was our round. We’ve learned by continuing to electronically process the tapes to bring out the few unintelligible lines that a Soviet pilot did report firing his canon. We dont know if that was at the KAL or as a signal—“tracers.” The Japanese tapes of the Korean transmissions give no hint that the pilot was aware of the Soviet planes even being in the air. We made this new information public. Our main meeting was on Lebanon. The situation is worsening. We may be facing a choice of getting out or enlarging our mission. Chf’s. of Staff want to send the New Jersey. I’m concerned as to whether that wont have a bad morale effect on our friends in Central Am. We’re going to move her thru the canal & off shore in the Atlantic before seeing whether she should head for Lebanon.
